Tun
kiumjoon
hi people.
I just got a few rolls of 120 XP2 films and some HP5.
These are all expired films. (2-3yrs) but were stored in freezer all the while.
Has anybody tried using expired b/w films before?
I just got a few rolls of 120 XP2 films and some HP5.
These are all expired films. (2-3yrs) but were stored in freezer all the while.
Has anybody tried using expired b/w films before?
Stephanie Brim
Mental Experimental.
I've used them frequently. However, if you're wary about it, I need some. 
back alley
IMAGES
there will be no problem if they were stored in the freezer or fridge, especially if it's only been a couple of years.
bobofish
Two-fisted Atom Smasher
The only film you really need to worry about expiring is color, and even more so, slide film.
B+W does change with time and bad storage, but not nearly as much as people sometimes think. I've been eating away at a brick of delta 100 that is about 6 years old, and has never once been refridgerated since purchase....it's also crossed the atlantic 4 times, and was left in an overheated car in a hot Polish summer for about 2 days.
And yet, it's still churning out good pic's. Maybe a little grainier than usual, maybe a little less density, but nothing an extra added push can't fix.
Shoot, a friend of mine inherited his grandfather's Nikon F and lenses, along with 3 bulk rolls of tri-x from god knows what decade. It's absolutely fine, but maybe not as precise as a fresh film. Although I remember the first few rolls had the silver sluff off in developing, but after that all was fine.
B+W does change with time and bad storage, but not nearly as much as people sometimes think. I've been eating away at a brick of delta 100 that is about 6 years old, and has never once been refridgerated since purchase....it's also crossed the atlantic 4 times, and was left in an overheated car in a hot Polish summer for about 2 days.
And yet, it's still churning out good pic's. Maybe a little grainier than usual, maybe a little less density, but nothing an extra added push can't fix.
Shoot, a friend of mine inherited his grandfather's Nikon F and lenses, along with 3 bulk rolls of tri-x from god knows what decade. It's absolutely fine, but maybe not as precise as a fresh film. Although I remember the first few rolls had the silver sluff off in developing, but after that all was fine.
Stephanie Brim
Mental Experimental.
Slide film can be pretty interesting when expired. Fun to experiment with, but I definitely wouldn't be doing anything important with it. I kind of planned to shoot a couple rolls of expired Ektachrome for the contest to see what I came up with. I'll probably stick to Tri-X and HP5, though.
Tun
kiumjoon
thanks god expired b/w films are not as bad as i think.
will try some out soon.
How about expired slide film like provia 400? i usually cross process expired slide films.
Any interesting results from normal processing?
will try some out soon.
How about expired slide film like provia 400? i usually cross process expired slide films.
Any interesting results from normal processing?
Stephanie Brim
Mental Experimental.
The colors are sometimes a bit wonky, but that's usually only in film that expired quite a while ago. I've shot Velvia that was expired 2 years ago with no real difference. Kinda depends on the emulsion, who made it, and how expired it is. 10-year-expired slide film is a trip.
w3rk5
Well-known
I just recently bought some expired Fuji Superia X-TRA 400 (dirt cheap) to see the results. The pictures were very grainy to what I'm use to with 400iso. It actually looked like 800iso.
louis
Member
I would only use expired films to test cameras and lenses or if it was a film size no longer made. I have some ancient 616 Verichrome pan which was discontinued in 1971! It's been kept frozen since then. I recently put a roll through an old Kodak folder and had it developed & contacted.
It came out very well! Verichrome was a Kodak B&W print film similar to Plus X Pan. Perhaps color films wouldn't hold up as well.
I would not of course take expired film on vacation.
It came out very well! Verichrome was a Kodak B&W print film similar to Plus X Pan. Perhaps color films wouldn't hold up as well.
I would not of course take expired film on vacation.
pvdhaar
Peter
I don't hesitate to use expired film. The only thing that matters to me is how it has been kept. New film that has been sun baked in a car or in a kiosk for even a single day is far worse than five year old emulsion that has been kept in the fridge.
I loaded up some Ilford XP1 (predecessor of XP2 Super) from a bulk roll in 1983 and found some still in the freezer 20 years later. The stuff was fine, also had some in 120 stashed away. Here's a shot with the antique XP1 shot in 2003....
ClaremontPhoto
Jon Claremont
I grew up using old film: it was all I could afford. And I've never stopped in forty years or so since.
Just ask in a small shop if they have shortdated or outdated film and suggest a price.
Outdated film is not like outdated cheese.
Just ask in a small shop if they have shortdated or outdated film and suggest a price.
Outdated film is not like outdated cheese.
lynn
lynn
I shot a roll of 38-year-old Russian B&W in January and the results were a treat...not perfect (the film was definitely not kept cool all that time) but surprisingly good.
Kim Coxon
Moderator
The only problem I have had with slide film was a roll of Velvia 50 that was 5 years out of date. I had forgotten it and it had been in and out of the camera bag quite a few times and not stored cool. It would probably have been OK if I had exposed it at 25 ASA instead of 50 but by then it was too late Still I was only using it to test the focus distance of some lenses I had re-collimated so the exposure was not critical
Kim
Still I was only using it to test the focus distance of some lenses I had re-collimated so the exposure was not critical Kim